Courtesy of Himalayan Foundation USA
(Clockwise) Pratap Subba, Damber Khapoong Subba, Manoj Dhakal, Suchita Gurung, and Kiran Gajmer will perform as guest artists at the Himalayan Cultural Exhibition and Food Festival
The Himalayan Cultural Exhibition and Food Festival will take place Sat., Oct. 30-Sun., Oct. 31, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day, at Edgebrook Field in South Park. Guest and local artists will perform, and cultural exhibitions representing Nepali, Bhutanese, Indian, and Tibetan cultures will take place. Cultural food, as well as crafts, art, and jewelry, will also be available to purchase.
The festival is presented by the Himalayan Foundation USA, a Pittsburgh-based volunteer nonprofit dedicated to supporting the Bhutanese community and preserving Himalayan history and culture. The festival will also celebrate the Festival of Tihar, which begins Nov. 4 this year and honors Yama, the god of death, as well as Laxmi, the goddess of wealth.
"Over the last decade, more than 8,000 refugees from the Himalayan region-Bhutan/Nepal have settled in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh," reads a press release about the event. "They have brought with them a rich and diverse cultural heritage adding energy and diversity to the fabric of our local communities."
Day one of the festival will kick off with a food and cultural exhibition, a soccer exhibition match, and a cultural parade, as well as dances, games, and activities between events. Featured Himalayan food includes thukpa, a Tibetan noodle soup; bhakka, an eastern Nepalese steamed rice flour cake; and kheer, a Nepalese rice pudding.
Day two will feature a literary program, as well as musical performances from local artists and Kiran Gajmer, who won season three of The Voice of Nepal reality competition series.
The cultural exhibition will include a wide variety of traditional farming and household tools and models of homes. Knitted and woven pieces, as well as drawings, paintings, and photographs from local artists, and traditional dresses, jewelry, and musical instruments will also be on display.
Himalayan Cultural Exhibition and Food Festival. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. Sat., Oct. 30-Sun., Oct. 31. Edgebrook Field. 2372 Corrigan Drive, South Park. Free. himfousa.org
